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Password protecting a folder on FAT

Hello all,
ummm.. I was looking for an application that could password protect a folder on FAT 32. Actually, we have a network environment, where everyone accesses a folder ( which is residing on FAT 32 ) . Now I want to protect that folder, so that it cannot be deleted and only accessed by authorised users. Any help in this regard would be appreciaited. I am already googling for such application. Just thought of dropping this thread here at AO.
Thank you,
Ommy

The problem with what you are wanting to do is that there is no security mechanism by default built into Fat32. So if you stop whatever software package you are running, say with a boot-up floppy the directory will no longer be password protected.

The best option you have is to encrypt the contents of the directory. Of course you could always delete the file even though you can't open it.

If it is in a networked environment and people are mapping to the directory through a share you can use directory share permissions to limit what people can do.

I remember back in the Windows 3.11 days there were programs that would create hidden directories and then do some sort of encryption on the files in those directories to make somewhat "secure" directories..

The real question is why don't you use NTFS where the file system itself supports this type of security? Win95 and WinME definitely should not be used to serve up file shares.

with NTFS, this is build into the OS. Security at user level - group level - folder level - even file level.

You can do this on a windows 2000 or windows XP machine.

The only limitation will be that 10 users at a time can connect to that computer. If you have more users than this, then you will need to be creative about where you store the information (same info on more than 1 machine being synched between the two or more machines) or you can get windows 200X server.

Hey thanx all. i found a couple of similar threads on AO, and googling helped alot. Besides, anyone know about a freeware application which encrypts the file and dont let the user delete it. I know about NTFS. But I am looking for a work around on the FAT 32.

we have a network environment, where everyone accesses a folder ( which is residing on FAT 32 ) . Now I want to protect that folder, so that it cannot be deleted and only accessed by authorised users

Ommy old chap, that does not sound like a private home user environment.

Free stuff is generally for private home users, and will frequently have network support disabled, in comparison to the paid for version.

If you persist with your requirement to run obsolete and insecure operating/file systems in this way, you must expect to pay for the tools needed to give you the missing security.

If you cannot do someone any good: don't do them any harm....
As long as you did this to one of these, the least of my little ones............you did it unto Me.
What profiteth a man if he gains the entire World at the expense of his immortal soul?

I have been in a similar position (looking for exact same thing) and I didn't find anything usefull. As far as access to your HD you should have an OS level restrictions not app level... meaning transfer the data to NTFS and use proper share premisions/ domain policy.

unhappy Hi there! I have done a fair bit of research into freeware over the past few years and I cannot think of a product either. There are applications that hide folders, that encrypt them, that password protect them etc, but anything comprehensive you have to pay for.

ommy's underlying problem is that he is wanting to use operating systems where everyone has Admin rights by default, on a LAN, where he wants the users to be able to access the system. Win 9x is just not designed for that.

That was NT 4.0 and its successors using NTFS.

If you cannot do someone any good: don't do them any harm....
As long as you did this to one of these, the least of my little ones............you did it unto Me.
What profiteth a man if he gains the entire World at the expense of his immortal soul?

nihil..man i am totally stuck here.. We are basically using Windows XP professional version ( yes it isl liscenced). There is a folder which is actually supposed to reside on the FAT 32 partition of the system. Now everyone who accesses the system (across the network) does not have an admin account. Now, the limited local users of the machine and the network are not previliged to share a folders on the newtork. For sharing a folder on the network, one must have atleast local admin rights (data entry operators cannot be given this admin previliges). Now when i share the folder across the network (using local admin), everyone has full control over the file (since data entry operators are supposed to input directly into the file), which means that everyone has the ability to delete that file. Now, I am looking for a utility that could password protect the folder not only on the local machine but also across the network ( i.e. individuals accessing the folder on the machine should be prompted for a username and password so that only authorised individuals have access to the data ) . I know, I might be looking for a little too much but again I can convince my company to spend some buck over such utility.

Nihil, I m no more looking for a freeware I would be happy if there is some utility which can do this with some reasonable cost.

P.S.: besides being called an 'old buddy' sounds good, reminds me that atleast someone on AO still remembers me. I have been visiting this forum since 1998, dont know when i get registered here ( Although i dont have enough posts under my belt, but i m a regular AO shredder )

I think that I understand the situation. Basically you have a modern XP/NTFS environment but have to use FAT 32 to support some legacy (old) systems?

I shall try to find you a good solution, but, as you are 6 hours ahead of me it will be tomorrow your time.

I do not think that the solution will be very expensive, as you only require one installation on the machine that holds the folders/files to be protected. I last did something like this about 3 years ago for a nursing/care home (using Win98) and I think it cost about £50 for the software.

Cheers

If you cannot do someone any good: don't do them any harm....
As long as you did this to one of these, the least of my little ones............you did it unto Me.
What profiteth a man if he gains the entire World at the expense of his immortal soul?

If you cannot do someone any good: don't do them any harm....
As long as you did this to one of these, the least of my little ones............you did it unto Me.
What profiteth a man if he gains the entire World at the expense of his immortal soul?